The U.F.F. marched viâ Ngubevu to Broeder's Hoek. The Reserves at Helpmakaar were demobilized on 16th and 17th June, with exception of those of Umsinga, who were retained as garrison at Helpmakaar lager, it being still unsafe for the women and children who had taken refuge there to return to their farms.
With the object of relieving some of the men of Mackay's force, two squadrons B.M.R. and one squadron N.C.(D), were mobilized, and sent under Arnott to Dundee on the 18th.[250] Major Moe proceeded, at the same time, with the whole of the N.N.H. to Pomeroy, in order to bring rebels of Kula's tribe to book, also escort to Pomeroy Chief Makafula of Nqutu district whom Mackay had been directed to arrest. The arrest, however, was not made, as Mackay, who had been in close touch with the Chief, had good grounds for believing he was not disloyal, as supposed to be the case by those at a distance. In this view, Mackay was supported by the Magistrate.
Whilst contemplating a demonstration in Silwana's location by Mackay's column from the Umsinga side, and by the U.F.F. from that of Greytown, Leuchars received a wire from O.C. Mapumulo reporting that his convoy had been attacked on the morning of the 19th at Oglesby's store, near Otimati, when one man had been killed and another wounded. He thereupon caused his forces to concentrate at Mapumulo as speedily as possible.
Before describing the position at Mapumulo, a thickly-populated district which now became the principal focus of rebellion, it will be necessary to take up the threads once more at Nkandhla and narrate what happened between the action at Mome gorge (10th) and the outbreak at Mapumulo just referred to.
FOOTNOTES:
[241] Giving, roughly, a population of 18,000 souls, or about 2,500 fighting men.
[242] The man referred to frequently in this history as Matshana ka Mondise.
[243] Kula's uncle, Mtele, with the portion of the tribe that rebelled with him, formed part of the force that attacked Leuchars at Mpukunyoni.
[244] It was made up of 200 N.C., Right Wing (Major A.C. Townsend); 160 N.M.R. (Capt. P.M. Rattray); N.F.A. (four guns) (Major C. Wilson); 55 N.R.R. (Lieut. A. McKenzie); and departmental details. When en route to Helpmakaar, it was joined by the following Reserves: 80 Newcastle (Chief Leader Adendorff); 200 Estcourt (Chief Leader A.F. Henderson, C.M.G.); 55 Dundee (Chief Leader D.C. Uys).
[245] His and Murray-Smith's men met near the Buffalo and moved back together to the latter's camp.